


A Night in the Life

by Hullabamoo



Category: Astoria Fate's Kiss, Labyrinths of Astoria (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, Light BDSM, NSFW, extreme vanilla levels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 18:24:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6125898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hullabamoo/pseuds/Hullabamoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it takes a little help from a friend to push a relationship to its next natural progression</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Night in the Life

**Author's Note:**

> Pairing: Medusa/MC(Claire)
> 
> Rating: M(minors beware)
> 
>  
> 
> _Author’s notes: this is the most self-indulgent trash_

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seated on a nearby table with feet hanging in the air, Claire choked around the straw of her drink when Medusa bent over the pool table. She took her sweet time lining up the shot, hips swaying side to side as she debated and hummed, finally flicking her wrist and sending three balls ricocheting into separate pockets. 

“My turn again.” Medusa straightened, winking at Claire when she caught where her gaze was focused. 

A grumble to her right saved Claire from further teasing. “Aren’t you supposed to be rusty or something?” Scylla huffed and took another swig of beer, pool cue forgotten against the wall. She’d barely had a chance to use it, Medusa’s shots unfailing since they’d started playing. 

Wood cracked against hardened resin. Medusa grinned when the final striped ball disappeared, leaving the bed with only Scylla’s colors, the cue, and eight ball. “I am rusty. That last one should’ve gone into the side pocket.” 

“Yeah, and my Aura’s a monkey.” 

A pleased smile tugged at Medusa’s lips. She turned to Claire, hip cocked against the table and hand capped over her cue stick. “Pick a pocket, sweetheart.” At Claire’s confused look she chuckled, heading tilting to the scattered billiard balls. “Scylla will cry foul if I don’t call the eight ball’s pocket. Pick one for me?” 

Even knowing what Medusa was up to, Claire felt a pleased flush of warmth at the fact that she was showing off for _her_. She eyed the bed, taking into account the position of each ball and her absolute zero experience with pool, before pointing to a corner pocket. “That one.” 

Medusa hummed in confirmation. “Head’s left corner it is.” Drumming her fingers on the wooden rails, she took up a position by her intended target, cue aimed to send the eight ball rebounding off the far wall. 

And giving Claire a perfect view of her low-cut top. 

One hit later and she sunk a perfect shot, the eight ball gliding past all the others without even a knick. Scylla groaned and shook her head, downing the rest of her beer in one go. 

“At least I get to keep my money.” She knocked the bottle against Medusa’s arm when she approached. “You could’ve let me make at least one shot, you know.” 

“Maybe.” Sidestepping her disgruntled friend, Medusa worked her way to Claire. She rested the pool cue against the table, hands coming to Claire’s hips as the latter parted her knees to allow her closer. “But that wouldn’t have been as much fun.” 

“You mean you wouldn’t have been able to spend as much time sprawled out and letting Claire check out your ass.” Charybdis said as she appeared out of thin air and placed a tray of shots on the table. 

Red bloomed on Claire’s face, but Medusa’s cheeks flared an even brighter shade. “I was just making the best moves,” she protested. 

Charybdis snickered and danced around them, downing one shot and handing another to Scylla. “Mhm, sure. That’s totally why you sunk fifteen into the third, when it was sitting right on the sixth. Best move.” She met Medusa’s glare with indifference, staring her down until Claire waved a hand between them. 

“I thought it was impressive-”

“Sure you did.”

“-ahem! Either way, I knew you were a pool shark.” Ignoring Charybdis’ snicker, Claire cupped Medusa’s chin and placed a kiss just to the side of her mouth. Sparkling grey eyes turned to her, the grip on her hips tightening. Before they could get closer, however, a shout echoed from across the bar. 

“Fuck me! Hide your wallets, everyone, Medusa’s back with pool cue in hand.” A leather-clad woman pushed through the crowd, clapping a few patrons on the shoulder as she passed by. Tall and boisterous, she was about to give Medusa the same treatment but thought better of it when her eyes narrowed in subtle warning. 

“Arae.” Despite the look, Medusa’s tone was friendly. She pulled away from Claire ever so slightly, hands sliding down to the tops of her thighs. 

It didn’t go unnoticed. Arae’s brow twitched upwards, grin widening by degrees. “I don’t see you in nearly a decade and all I get is an ‘Arae’.” Ruddy eyes rolled before she snatched a shot and threw it back. “Gods, Medusa. Never change.” 

“Hey! You’d better pay for that.” Charybdis slapped her hand away when she reached for another, bodily blocking Arae from the tray even as she emptied another glass. 

“C’mon Charybdis! Your gal there is fucking the bartender. You can afford to share.” 

Scylla snapped to attention at that. Before she could deck Arae in Eryn’s honor, however, Medusa intervened with a soft clearing of her throat. “I’m surprised to see you alone, Arae.”

“Huh?” Looking genuinely confused, Arae spun in a circle, much like a dog chasing its tail. “Oh, well, would you look at that. Don’t worry, she’ll be along soon.” She reclined against the table, gaze settling on Medusa’s hands before traveling up and over Claire’s body. When it finally met Claire’s, she winked and shot her a toothy smile. “I don’t think we’ve met.” 

“Careful, Arae. Medusa isn’t good at sharing.” A new voice chimed in, belonging to the woman sidling up to their group with a smile. “I’d hate to have to fish you out of the bay. Again.” She elbowed Arae out of the way and offered her hand to Claire. “I’m Mirari. Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Claire.” Electricity jumped between their skin as Claire accepted it. She startled, the band of her ring growing warm, but the touch was gone in the next instant, Mirari withdrawing with a knowing smirk. Something unreadable flashed through her expression and she turned to Medusa, a hand rising to rest on her shoulder. Much to Claire’s surprise, Medusa didn’t shrug her off, instead welcoming the touch with a tilt of her head. 

“It’s good to see you again, Mirari.” A genuine smile bloomed on Medusa’s face, the possessive edge fading from her posture. 

After a pat on the arm, Mirari drew back. “You too, darling.” She took up Arae’s previous position, though this time when eyes traveled over her body Claire didn’t feel quite so much like a piece of meat. “And it’s good to see you with company. I was beginning to think I was going to have to water your dry spell myself.” 

Curiosity piqued, Claire glanced at Medusa, only to be caught by surprise for the second time that night by the red tint to Medusa’s cheeks. 

“I didn’t know you were keeping tabs on me.” 

Mirari waved a hand. “I keep tabs on all my favorites. Plus, after all that happened…” she trailed off, shoulders rolling in a shrug. “Regardless, it’s good to have you back. Arae’s been a pain without someone to put her in her place.” 

Aware of the tension radiating from Medusa at the mention of how she lost Pegasus, Claire ran with the change of topic. “Are you saying there’s someone that willingly challenges Medusa to pool? It took her a week to convince Scylla to play.” She tried to keep the hopeful tone out of her voice, but when both Medusa and Mirari raised an eyebrow at her, she knew she had failed.

Still, Medusa always went along with her indulgences. “Mm. She might not seem like it, but Arae’s a decent player.” Pulling away, she reached for her cue stick and turned to the bickering trio off to the side. 

“Up for a game?”

Arae immediately disengaged from the argument. “Damn right I am.” She snagged Scylla’s abandoned stick and collected the billiard balls. Spinning the rack around a finger, she cocked her head at Medusa. “Are we actually making it worth something, or are you still blowing the dust off your game?” 

The glimmer in Medusa’s eyes would’ve warned off any intelligent person. Either Arae didn’t notice, or didn’t care, as she kept still with smirk in place until Medusa answered,“I was thinking you could buy the next round when you lose.”

“That arrogance is going to get you in trouble someday.”

“Funny, I could say the same to you.”

“Would you two cork it and get on with the show?” Mirari pressed against Claire’s side, arm circling around her waist. “You’ve got two hot chicks here in need of entertainment, so I suggest you get on with it before I find some better performers.” 

Claire was about to protest, say that no one could compare to Medusa, but the sudden hard set to Medusa’s jaw made her pause, time freezing around her intense expression as she reached for the rack. She swallowed hard as slender fingers wrapped around the plastic, forgetting how to breathe when Medusa’s lip curled in a mild snarl. It wasn’t until her ring flashed red hot that she remembered how, exhale hissing out through clenched teeth at the same time a chuckle echoed by her ear. 

“Oh my, you certainly are an interesting one.” Mirari murmured, her closeness making Claire flinch. It seemed to shock Mirari, considering that she withdrew right away, lowering back onto the soles of her feet and unwinding her arm from Claire. “Oops, sorry sweetheart. Sometimes I forget about personal space.” She took a step to the side and then hopped onto the table, perching next to Claire with a respectable distance between them. 

After a few more traded quips, Medusa and Arae started their game. Unlike Scylla, Arae actually made some progress, and Mirari’s commentary helped Claire figure out why. Instead of trying to sink her shots Arae spent a lot more time ruining Medusa’s, maneuvering her balls into just the right position to cause a crease in Medusa’s brow each time her turn came. It was a purely defensive game, forcing Medusa to find a way to score without helping Arae out as well. 

By the time the bed was cleared of all but five balls--three Medusa’s and two Arae’s-- a hard glint had overtaken Medusa’s eyes, her expression schooled into perfect neutrality. Claire watched with rapt fascination as she stared down the table, calculating gaze sweeping over every ball. Finally she moved, stalking to the side and aiming at the very edge of her ball--the one surrounded by Arae’s and the eight. 

Arae scoffed. “Just because I’ve got you in a bind doesn’t mean you have to throw the game.” 

“I’m not.” The corded muscles of Medusa’s forearm tensed seconds before she struck. Angled as it was, the hit sent her ball spinning with barely any forward momentum. But that was exactly what Medusa wanted, the torque guiding it around Arae’s obstacles without knocking them into the nearby pocket. A triumphant smirk blossomed on Medusa’s face when it continued past, falling into a side pocket after a moment’s hesitation. “My turn again.”

Arae groaned and soon Claire found out why. With that one cleared, Medusa had free range to sink her last two, though this time she didn’t look up before calling the last pocket and hitting the eight ball into it. 

“Wow.” Claire watched as Medusa straightened and brushed her hair back, heart skipping then tumbling over the next beat at the smug look she shot Arae. 

“You’re one lucky girl, aren’t you?” An elbow nudged her side. 

“Yeah, I am-” Claire stopped midsentence, the quirk to Mirari’s lips enough to make her ears burn. “I mean, um. She’s--yeah.” 

Taking pity, Mirari chuckled and turned away. “I bet she tires you out.”

It felt oddly like a trap, yet Claire felt compelled to answer. “Not at all. I mean! Yes, um, we have no problems in that...department.” Choking on embarrassment, Claire nevertheless couldn’t help taking a slow, appreciative, up-and-down of Medusa as she chatted with Arae, Scylla, and Charybdis. “Medusa is so gentle. I’ve never had anyone spoil me like she does.” 

“Mm, but the roughness is nice too, right? Medusa always had that...fierceness to her---why are you looking at me like that?” 

Honestly, Claire couldn’t choose an answer. As she fumbled between the two major ones Mirari’s confused look morphed into curiosity, then twisted into outrageous disbelief. 

“You mean she hasn’t--Medusa!” At her call Medusa whipped around, worry creasing her brow as she took in Claire’s red face and Mirari’s scowl. She followed when Mirari beckoned, puzzlement growing each step closer she took. 

“Yes?”

The moment she was in range Mirari jabbed a finger into her sternum. “I thought I taught you how to treat a lady.” 

“Oh, gods.” Claire dropped her head into both hands, fingers squeezed together to block out all sight. Maybe if she just sat here quietly the floor would open and swallow her up. Then she could forget the conversation happening about her and Medusa’s sex life with Medusa’s apparent ex. 

“I think Sappho and Miss Woolf taught me more than you.” Warm fingers curled around Claire’s, tugging them away from her face and bringing her eye to eye with a smiling Medusa. 

Claire greeted her with a nervous grin. Freeing one hand from Medusa’s grasp, she hooked a finger in her sleeve, drawing her closer till she could hide in the crook of her neck. 

“Cute, but you know that’s not what I mean.” 

Had she not been wrapped in her arms, Claire would’ve missed Medusa’s twitch. As it was she barely noticed it, the slight jump in the pulse point under her lips the only other proof anything had happened. It encouraged her to peek out and she caught Mirari’s bewitching smile in the corner of her vision. 

“Do I need to come over and remind you how to behave?” Purr rolling over her tongue, Mirari leaned closer, shoulders set down and back to accentuate her rather tight top. 

“Absolutely not.” Claire squeaked when Medusa’s thumbs hooked into the back of her jeans. A subtle pull brought them flush, the possessive action emphasized by a scorching kiss. 

Mirari laughed when they separated. “Just kidding, sweet thing. I know you’re not one to share. Usually, anyway.” 

The suggestive edge to her tone sent a shiver down Claire’s spine. She burrowed into Medusa’s warmth to compensate, staying deep in her embrace even when Arae wandered over with a tray laden with shots. Everyone in their small group ended up with several, a series of curses and coughs following the first drink. They lessened after the second and all but disappeared by the third, the full glasses replaced with empty counterparts. 

Sucking on a lime and watching Scylla bicker with Arae over something meaningless, Claire jumped at the touch of fingers on her chin, turning just in time to see a flash of red as Medusa leaned in and stole the fruit from her mouth. White teeth closed around green flesh, a little bit of juice dribbling down Medusa’s chin before she swallowed the piece whole. 

Never one to let a theft go unpunished, Claire growled and yanked her back in by the loose straps of her shirt. Starting with the tracks of juice, she licked her way down the column of Medusa’s throat, pausing to suck at her fluttering pulsepoint. The sharp intake of air above encouraged her lower, but the bark of laughter to their side was like a bucket of cold water, Claire’s head snapping up so fast she nearly knocked into Medusa’s chin. 

“Three shots and she gets frisky. That’s easy on the wallet, eh, Medusa?” 

Charybdis snorted into her drink. “They don’t need alcohol for that. This one time Scylla and I went with them to--”

“Charybdis.” Now that she had retired from the business, Medusa rarely used what Claire dubbed her ‘crimelord voice’. But the warning in her tone was clear as she stared Charybdis down, daring her to tell anymore of that particular story.

For all the good it did. Charybdis just knocked shoulders with Arae, whispering in her ear. “Pfft, I’ll tell you later.” 

Letting it slide with a roll of the eyes, Medusa refocused on Claire. She glanced between her and the clock, the heat in her gaze asking the question for her. 

“Mm, yeah. Time to go.” Bracing herself on Medusa’s shoulder, Claire hopped off the table. The world spun a little when her feet hit the floor and she took a second to find her balance, catching Medusa’s hand once she had it. 

Her touch was relocated to the crook of Medusa’s elbow and she was pulled against her side, nudged towards the door with a gentle push. Used to their sudden departures, Charybdis and Scylla waved goodnight, but Arae puffed up, protest on her lips and about to fall before Mirari caught it with an elbow into her side. 

“Have a good night you two. Oh, and Medusa,” she winked, painted lips ghosting over her fingers as she blew a kiss their way. “Think about what I said.” 

Medusa jerked, whole body twitching. Before Claire could question it she was hustled out to the sidewalk and into a taxi, the door slamming shut behind Medusa and her voice gruff as she gave the driver the address. Then she forgot about it as the cab sped off, the hand wandering up her thigh more than an apt distraction in her alcohol-induced haze. 

It wasn’t until she was crowded through the door to Medusa’s house and shoved back against its frame that she remembered the oddity. Straining to the side at the graze of teeth over her throat, Claire barely managed to kick the door shut with her heel, fingers fumbling with the lock until Medusa snared them and pressed them against the wood by her head.

Her free hand found the tie to Claire’s bun, working it free and burying into her hair. Though Claire didn’t resist, she used the grip to tilt her head back even further, holding her in place while she sucked harshly at her pulse. When Claire’s breathing stuttered she smiled against reddened skin, rising to catch her gasp in a kiss. 

Then, as quick as she had come, she was gone. It took Claire several sluggish seconds to catch up, blinking through the lust to find Medusa several feet away, arms crossed as she paced back and forth. Curses fell from her lips, a mixture of greek and other languages, all muttered too quietly for Claire to decipher.

“Uh, you okay?” Struggling to reign in her desire, Claire picked at her shirt, pulling the straps back up over the curve of her shoulder. Medusa froze, attention pulled to the simple movement, her eyes darkening to near-black as she watched. The intensity to her gaze rooted Claire in place, the two of them gawking at each other until Medusa spat out another profanity and spun on her heel.

Sucking in a breath to calm her racing heart, Claire gathered enough facility to move away from the door, feet taking her within arm’s length of Medusa. “Acting like that is enough to hurt a girl’s ego, you know,” she said, mustering a smile and reaching out to touch Medusa’s shoulder. 

Before her fingers could make contact, however, they were caught midair. Medusa’s grip was like a vice as she dragged Claire into another embrace, arm winding around her waist and lips hot against her skin. But this time when she paused, despite the desperate haze, Claire was ready to stop her retreat. She cupped the nape of her neck, other hand fisting into the cloth of Medusa’s shirt to keep her in place. A startled squeak escaped when Medusa didn’t fight it, instead swallowing the noise and urging her back, not stopping until Claire was pinned between the wall and her body once more. 

“Gods,” Medusa growled against her lips, “Claire, gods, you need to push me away.” Her hands wandered despite her pleading, yanking Claire’s clothes out of the way and exposing her skin to cool air. “Please.”

Goosebumps rising, Claire squirmed under her touch. “Why would I want to do that?” She asked, choking back a moan when Medusa leaned down to nip at her earlobe. 

“Because I’m not--I can’t.” Hot and heavy, Medusa exhaled over the shell of her ear. Trembles shook her body, strength barely kept in check by sheer force of will.

Claire wanted to feel it snap. Still, she had never seen Medusa like this. With a great deal of reluctance she planted both hands on Medusa’s shoulders and shoved, not surprised when she didn’t budge an inch. It must have given Medusa what she wanted, though, as she grunted and withdrew. 

Hands balling into fists, she pressed her knuckles into the wood on either side of Claire’s head. From there she bent over, body curled almost protectively around Claire, hovering a hair’s breadth away but never touching. 

“Sorry,” came the murmur. “Sorry, I just need--” 

“Need what, darling?” Claire tried to meet her gaze, but Medusa refused, remaining fixated on some point off to the side. 

“Need---damnit, Mirari!”

Ready to swoon, Claire gaped instead at the intrusive name, concern forgotten in a flash of jealousy. Medusa caught it, eyes widening as she realized how her words were being construed.

“Wait, no--that’s not. Oh, gods below this is a mess! Just let me explain,” she said, forehead falling onto Claire’s shoulder. “If I can get ahold of myself, that is.” 

Lust, irritation, confusion, and curiosity made for an interesting concoction swirling in Claire’s stomach. The latter two dominated, however, her touch soothing as she stroked Medusa’s hair. “An explanation would be really, really nice,” she said, squirming when a puff of air blew over her collarbone, Medusa taking several steadying breaths before speaking. 

“Mirari is a--I suppose the popular term for it is a succubus, even though that’s not quite right--but that’s getting into a history lecture I’m not interested in giving right now.” Wood creaked as Medusa pushed against the wall, using it as a brace to keep off of Claire. “She’s always been a troublemaker and, well, before we left…” 

“Hold up.” Cupping Medusa’s face with both hands, Claire encouraged her to straighten until they could look each other in the eye. “Are you saying Mirari blasted you with a dose of lust Aura?”

Medusa winced. “No! Nothing like that. Her powers are limited; she can only boost or consume already existing emotions. It just happens that she prefers to use lust most of the time and --what?”

Throughout her explanation Claire’s expression had shifted from agitated, to disbelieving, and then to a form of comprehension that had her biting her lip in a poorly concealed effort to keep from laughing. When Medusa trailed off she let it go, chuckling softly as she brushed a thumb over her pout. “I think I get it now. Mirari decided to pull a little prank and cranked the dial on your libido,” she said, brow furrowing as another thought came to mind. “Wait. Why didn’t Pegasus protect you?” 

“Well,” Medusa hesitated, worry creeping into her gaze. “Pegasus isn’t used to...protecting me from Mirari.” 

“Oh.” Claire went silent, jealousy bubbling in her chest. “Oh. I don’t like that thought very much.” She buried her fingers into Medusa’s hair, pulling her into a kiss with a grip on her nape, uncaring when Medusa whimpered and shook, body going taught with hesitation.

“Claire,” she breathed out, their lips brushing as she spoke. “We can’t do this. Not now. I need to cool off first.” 

“Why?” Chasing the space between them, Claire looped her fingers in Medusa’s belt to hold her steady. 

They traded breaths for several seconds before Medusa jerked away with a groan. “I’m not...in control.”

“So? I’m not going to break if you’re a little rougher than usual.” At least not in the negative sense. Honestly Claire had wondered for a while now what it would take to snap Medusa’s unfailing gentleness in bed. Not that she didn’t love every minute they spent together, but she couldn’t help thinking about what it would feel like to be forced into surrendering to that strength. Held at the complete mercy of the hardness she sometimes saw in grey eyes. 

“That’s not…” Again Medusa paused, mouth working around unspoken words. Lip caught between her teeth, she finally settled on what to say, mumbling so softly Claire had to hold her breath to hear. 

Not that the confession didn’t steal the air from her lungs anyway. “I’m not in control. Not the way I want to be. Right now. Over you,” Medusa said, turning away when Claire’s eyes widened, nostrils flaring as she sucked in a breath. So that was what Mirari had been talking about. It wasn’t just a fleeting fancy Claire had imagined whenever they got lost in each other. That want, need, had really been in Medusa’s tender touch. She had just held back instead of pushing forward. 

Something warm bloomed in Claire’s chest, heat spreading over her cheeks and down her neck. She had to swallow before she could speak and even then her voice was raspy, a husky lilt taking over her tone. “Take it.” When Medusa turned back to her, surprise enough for both of them in her expression, Claire rushed to clarify before she lost her nerve. “Take the control you want,” she said, pitch rising on the final syllable. 

A long moment of silence stretched between them. Confidence fading, Claire coughed and went to duck her head, only for a warm palm to cup her cheek and hold her steady. Eyes dark, Medusa studied every inch of her face, searching for some sign of falsehood in her words. Her thumb caught against Claire’s bottom lip when she found none, sweeping off to the side after Claire pressed a kiss to its tip. 

“This is really something we need to talk about before doing,” Medusa murmured, fingers curling to hold Claire’s chin in thumb and forefinger. “But...if you’ll indulge me a little. Just for tonight.” She paused, uncertainty adding a tremor to her grip. 

Swallowing to ease her dry throat, Claire covered Medusa’s hand with her own and drew it back to her lips. “It’s not indulging when I want it too,” she whispered against her palm, brushing a kiss there the second after. “So show me?” 

Medusa sucked in a breath as if she had been punched, body finally sagging against Claire’s. “Alright, alright,” she said, touch moving to Claire’s cheek and lips pressed to the opposite side. “If there’s anything you don’t like--and I mean anything--just say so and I’ll stop.” At Claire’s nod she tilted her head, voice hardening as she whispered against her ear. “Then turn around and put your hands on the wall.” 

Stare going blank at the order, Claire gasped when Medusa yanked her into a scorching kiss, spinning her around after with a grip on her hips. Calloused fingers encircled her wrists as Medusa pressed flush against her back, lips returning to one ear the moment her palms touched wood. 

“Keep your hands here.” After lingering for a moment to ensure she would be obeyed, Medusa’s hands moved to Claire’s sides, fingers slipping under the hem of her shirt. Featherlight, they trailed along the curve of Claire’s hips, meeting in the center to pop the button of her jeans. Then they split, one hand drawing the zipper down as the other rose, stroking a path up the center of Claire’s stomach. 

“Is this alright?” Something warm and wet swept over her ear, Medusa’s question a murmur before she started sucking on the lobe. Her teeth caught it when Claire answered, turning her confirmation into a stuttered groan. 

“Y-yes. Gods, Medusa.”

Nails bit into the cleft of her thigh, Medusa’s breath a hot wash over her skin. “They have nothing to do with me.” She traced the flush down Claire’s neck, lips spreading it to the curve of her shoulder. Nosing the straps of her shirt away, she marked one shoulder with her teeth before doing the same to the other. Claire’s hands left the wall briefly as her shirt was drawn overhead and tossed aside, bra following in a mess of giggles and groans. 

Kept warm from Medusa at her back, a shiver nevertheless worked its way down Claire’s spine as her front was exposed to the air and Medusa’s touch, each caress slow and deliberate as she outlined the curve of Claire’s body with her palms. 

“Still alright?” Lavishing the other ear with the same attention she had given the first, Medusa paused for a moment with one hand cupped on Claire’s breast, thumb toying over its peak. 

“G-Yes, this is beyond alright.” Choking back a moan, Claire forgot herself and reached back to wind her fingers in red hair, other hand covering the one on her chest. “You don’t need to keep asking--ah--I promise I’ll say stop if I need to. Oh, gods--”

Purple bloomed on fair skin when Medusa bit down hard enough to bruise, fingers splayed over the center of bucking hips. “Then you really should listen to what I tell you to do,” she said, picking at the edge of lace panties. But she went no further. Not even when Claire squirmed and withdrew, hands going back to the wall. It took several seconds of tense silence and no movement from either of them before she continued, divesting Claire of all her remaining clothing with an impossible amount of grace for only using one hand. Her other kept wandering, pausing to knead at a breast before trailing lower, ghosting over twitching inner thighs only to rise once more. 

Knees shifting apart, Claire tried to keep still, fingers curling against wood as she fought the urge to reach back. Each pass of Medusa’s hand seemed a deliberate test of her will, every stroke coming closer and closer to the junction between her thighs yet never reaching. After one particularly close brush she let out a noise embarrassingly close to a whine. An amused huff blew over her cheek, Medusa appearing at the edge of her vision. 

Delight and something else sparkled in grey eyes, adding a depth Claire had never seen before. Medusa didn’t speak, instead nuzzling along her jawline, nipping at the corner of her mouth when Claire didn’t immediately turn to meet her. A kiss tender enough to melt followed, causing Claire to nearly forget the tortuous hand until it slipped between her legs, parting her with a practiced ease that had her gasping and breaking away for air. 

Not that Medusa gave her any chance to breathe. She captured her in another kiss at the same time her fingers--slick from the wetness trailing down Claire’s thighs--found the hood of her clit, circling in a steady rhythm. After swallowing the low groan that followed Medusa pulled back, breathing a controlled counterpart to Claire’s panting. 

Something foreign was whispered into Claire’s ear, the heated tone more than making up for her lack of understanding. A subtle encouragement for the noise she was making, whimpers and groans following each flick, her cries reverent when she gathered enough sense to call Medusa’s name. 

Then, just as a hot clench started in her belly, muscles tensing in anticipation, Medusa stopped. Nails and and teeth dug into Claire’s hip and shoulder, the sudden prick of pain stalling the rush of pleasure and Claire’s heart. Gulping in air to recover, Claire tried to voice her complaint, only for it to turn into a keen when a finger pushed past her entrance, a firm thrust burying it to the second knuckle. 

Gripping Claire’s leg, Medusa nudged them further apart, second hand joining the first to continue the slow strokes over her clit. She teased Claire back to the edge, holding her over the precipice only to yank her away with another harsh press of teeth, both hands stilling until the tremors subsided. The moment Claire sobbed and sank against the wall she started again, pinning her in place with the weight of her body and forearms braced across her stomach. 

A second finger joined the first inside Claire, pace picking up just for Medusa to deny her release for the third time, her knees almost giving out from the desperate trembles. 

“Medusa--please-” Babbling and lost in a red haze, Claire twitched when lips brushed her ear once more, a grin pressing against her skin. 

“Mm? What do you need?” Strokes slowing, Medusa hummed, innocent words betrayed by their husky lilt. 

Face growing impossibly redder, Claire twitched in her arms. “Let me--I need to…” she broke off when slender fingers curled, rubbing a spot that had her seeing stars. “Make me come, please.” 

Going rigid behind her, Medusa drew in a shaky breath. “You’re very good at this.” Then, before Claire could ask what she meant, she bore down, painting a pattern with her fingertips that broke Claire within seconds, a harsh gasp leaving her lips as a shudder ran through her body. 

Once the aftershocks faded Medusa pulled out, nuzzling Claire’s neck when she whined in protest. Kept upright more by her embrace than anything else, Claire went with it when Medusa spun her, hands resting on the cloth of Medusa’s shirt. She plucked at an imaginary piece of lint, another tremor building when she realized Medusa was still fully clothed. Trying to fix that little blunder with all the single-minded focus of someone still on the high of afterglow, Claire huffed when a hand stopped her from undoing Medusa’s belt, a chuckle responding to her frustrated grumble. 

“Not yet.” Catching her wrist with sticky fingers, Medusa backed away and tugged her along. She stopped at the edge of the couch, reaching for a pillow and dropping it onto the floor. Her shoes were kicked away before she turned back Claire. Fixing her with an odd look, she unbuckled her belt and slipped it free, holding it in one hand and drawing both of Claire’s together with the other. “This isn’t ideal,” she murmured, hesitating before looping the leather around her wrists and threading it through the buckle. “But if you like it, we can get some proper restraints later.” Cinching the binding closed, she gave the excess strap a light tug and slid her thumb underneath to test the tightness. 

Apparently satisfied with the result, she looked to Claire, eyebrow raised in question. “Still alright?”

Heart hammering a little too hard to provide a vocal answer, Claire nodded. She gasped when Medusa hauled her in by the makeshift leash, stumbling into her chest when she tripped over her own feet. A chuckle rumbled under her ear, Medusa stabilizing her and pushing her back an inch. 

“Hold this.” The leather was raised to her lips, the brush of a finger encouraging Claire to part them and accept it. Her cheeks flamed the same color as Medusa’s hair as she stammered, quieted when Medusa slid the strap into her open mouth. Teeth closing around it on instinct, she could only watch as Medusa sat down and reached for her zipper, undoing it and the button before snagging the leash once more. A guided pull brought Claire to her knees onto the pillow between Medusa’s feet, the leash going under the sole of one foot. Getting the picture of what Medusa wanted, Claire rested her head on a clothed thigh, leather going taught as she tried to raise her hands. 

Medusa shook her head in answer to the unspoken question. She leaned back, hips rising as she pushed her jeans over them, thumbs hooked in silk panties to pull them along too. One leg lifted, knee brushing against Claire as Medusa freed that side before doing the same to the other, kicking her pants away with a flick of the ankle. Her foot settled on the leash again just in time to stop Claire from pushing closer, fingertips under her chin tilting her up for a kiss. When they parted Medusa threaded her fingers in Claire’ hair, guiding her in with a soft touch on her nape. 

Claire sucked in a breath as Medusa parted her legs. Her arousal was clear, lips shining with wetness, Claire’s exhale enough to make her thighs twitch. Feeling the impatience in the tug of her hair, Claire leaned in, finding her balance with hands on the floor and lips tracing the groove of Medusa’s hip. The prick of nails on her scalp demanded she move faster as she kissed her way down, their presence only lessened by a broad sweep of her tongue. 

Murmuring at the first heady taste, Claire nosed closer. She drew nonsense patterns with her tongue, following the sighs and soft hums. After a while with no direction, Claire decide to risk going further, her lips closing around Medusa’s clit and sucking. Slender thighs jumped, almost closing around her ears, and Claire felt a hand leave her hair, a muffled cry following right after. 

Glancing up confirmed what she thought. Medusa had her knuckles pressed to her mouth, eyes squeezed closed. They flickered open after a second, lust clouding until a blink cleared it away and command took its place. 

“Don’t stop,” Medusa demanded, leash jerking under her foot. A tug on her hair pulled Claire back in, Medusa’s grip firm and guiding until Claire found the right pattern with her tongue. Even then she didn’t relax her touch, keeping control with tugs and soft murmurs; groaned curses interspersed with orders for more. 

At one point, when she saw a tremor run through Medusa’s abdominal muscles, Claire glanced up. Careful to keep the pace Medusa dictated, she nevertheless faulted when grey eyes met hers, lust having darkened them to almost black. Medusa all but growled at the interruption and Claire gasped as she was yanked closer, eyes flicking down as she sealed her lips over Medusa’s clit once more, tongue flicking across it as she sucked lightly. 

The body in front of her shuddered, nails back on her nape. “Look up,” Medusa rasped, and it took all of Claire’s concentration not to stop as she did, the fine, nearly broken, mask of control on Medusa’s face enough to make her buck on empty air. They stared at each other for a second before Medusa jerked, a harsh gasp escaping her lips as she shook under Claire’s, thighs twitching by her ears. 

Still shaking, Medusa curled over Claire, hands weaving through her hair until the trembles faded. “Mm,” she hummed, foot lifting from the leash. “How do you feel?”

Looking at her, ruffled and satisfied, Claire felt a surge of pride. “Isn’t that my line right now?” A guiding touch brought her to her feet and then into Medusa’s lap, the latter falling against the couch for support. 

Medusa shook her head. Sliding a finger under the belt to pull it free from the buckle and Claire’s hands, she tossed it to the side and pressed a kiss to the inside of each wrist. “In a way, yes, but it usually goes the other way around with this sort of thing.” 

“One of the things we need to talk about, huh?” With a small smile for the hopeful look Medusa gave her, Claire leaned in to give her a kiss. The two tastes of her mixed together on her tongue, Medusa deepening it until nothing remained but the slight sting of a nip on her lower lip. Even that was soothed away with a lick, the affection doubled as Medusa nudged their noses together before giving her another chaste kiss. 

“So you liked it?” 

Claire hummed in answer. Rolling her wrists and giggling at the way concern flashed through grey eyes, she draped her arms over Medusa’s shoulders and settled heavier into her lap. “I think,” she started, nuzzling Medusa’s jaw, “that I wouldn’t mind learning more about these desires of yours. Slowly, that is.” 

“Of course. Whatever you want.” A hand splayed over the small of her back, Medusa’s hips shifting under hers. 

“Isn’t that what I’ll be saying to you from now on?” Keeping her tone light to let Medusa know she was mostly joking, Claire sucked in a breath at the absolute yearning look Medusa gave her, mischief and promise swirling in equal parts. She squeaked when arms wound around her back, legs locking around Medusa’s hips just in time as she stood, walking them both towards the bedroom. 

“I think,” Medusa said as she unceremoniously dropped Claire onto the bed. “That I’d rather hear a few other things coming from that pretty mouth right now. Namely my name.” Following suite, she draped herself over Claire, settling between her legs and trailing kisses over her throat. 

More than willing, Claire catered to her every whim, the conversation forgotten until another day.


End file.
